Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, announced today that it has obtained new documents from the United States Air Force detailing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s repeated use of United States Air Force aircraft. According to the documents, obtained by Judicial Watch through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), Pelosi used Air Force aircraft on 85 flights from March 2009 through June 2010. Members of Pelosi’s family were guests on at least two flights.

Among the highlights from the documents, obtained pursuant to a FOIA request filed on January 25, 2009:

Pelosi used the Air Force aircraft for a total of 85 trips, covering 206,264 miles, from March 2, 2009 through June 7, 2010. Pelosi, her guests and Air Force personnel logged a total of 428.6 hours on these flights.

Members of Pelosi’s family were guests on at least two flights. On June 20, 2009, Speaker Pelosi’s daughter, son-in-law and two grandsons joined a flight from Andrews Air Force Base to San Francisco International Air Port. That flight included $143 in on-flight expenses for food and other items. On July 2, 2010, Pelosi took her grandson on a flight from Andrews Air Force Base to Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, California, which is northeast of San Francisco.

Re: This will piss you off: See How Much Pelosi Spends Jetting Around--

Also from the article:

“Pelosi’s abusive use of military aircraft demonstrates a shocking lack of regard for the American taxpayer and the men and women who serve in the U.S. Air Force. Speaker Pelosi may have a frequent flyer record for taxpayer-financed luxury jet travel,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.

"We here are of the conviction that the papacy is the seat of the true and real Antichrist." - Martin Luther (Aug. 18, 1520)

"While God has given ample evidence for faith, He will never remove all excuse for unbelief. All who look for hooks to hang their doubts upon will find them. And those who refuse to accept and obey God's Word until every objection has been removed, and there is no longer an opportunity for doubt, will never come to the light" (The Great Controversy, p. 527).

"Jesus did not come to change the law, but he came to explain it, and that very fact shows that it remains, for there is no need to explain that which is abrogated." - Charles Spurgeon

"Jesuit Adam Weishaupt established the modern version of the Illuminati specifically to be a front organization behind which the Jesuits could hide. After being formally abolished by Pope Clement XIV in 1773, the Jesuits used the Illuminati and other organizations to carry out their operations. Thus, the front organizations would be blamed for the trouble caused by the Jesuits."Bill Hughes (Author of The Secret Terrorists and The Enemy Unmasked)

Re: This will piss you off: See How Much Pelosi Spends Jetting Around--

What are John Boner's expenses??

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 23488583

JUST as on-called for and ridiculous as Pelosi's.

NO SINGLE PERSON in congress should be spending the PEOPLE'S money like this. They should ALL be outed. The president, the congress people, the aids. EVERYONE.

ONE word.....SKYPE!!!! I'll give a presentation course to congress on how to use skype if need be.

THESE people are SERIOUSLY out of touch.

Who the FUCK do they think they are spending the taxpayer's money like this?

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 22573986

I'll make you a bet right now that his expenses are nowhere near what she spent. This is like Michelle spending $10 million on lavish vacations and Obama's 100+ rounds of golf. Not to mention the White House parties with his Hollywood celebrity supporters.

In 15 months Pelosi spent over $100k on booze and food for herself and her guests? Flagrant abuse. And they know that there won't be any outrage or consequences.

Re: This will piss you off: See How Much Pelosi Spends Jetting Around--

Without knowing what other politicians, namely republicans, spend on travel there is no way of telling whether or not we should be "outraged" or not.

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 23425880

Yes, there is. She is observed taking WAAAAAAY more flights than anyone else in Congress. WHAT A DIVA!!!!

From another Judicial Watch article discussing what they found:

In response to a series of requests for military aircraft, one Defense Department official wrote, "Any chance of politely querying [Pelosi's team] if they really intend to do all of these or are they just picking every weekend?…[T]here’s no need to block every weekend ‘just in case’…" The email also notes that Pelosi’s office had, "a history of canceling many of their past requests."

One DOD official complained about the "hidden costs" associated with the speaker’s last minute changes and cancellations. "We have…folks prepping the jets and crews driving in (not a short drive for some), cooking meals and preflighting the jets etc."

The documents include a discussion of House Ethics rules and Defense Department policies as they apply to the speaker’s requests for staff, spouses and extended family to accompany her on military aircraft. In May 2008, for example, Pelosi requested that her husband join her on a Congressional Delegation (CODEL) into Iraq. The DOD explained to Pelosi that the agency has a written policy prohibiting spouses from joining CODEL’s into combat zones.

Documents obtained from the U.S. Army include correspondence from Speaker Pelosi’s office requesting an Army escort and three military planes to transport Pelosi and other members of Congress to Cleveland, Ohio, for the funeral services of the late Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones. Pelosi noted in her letter of August 22, 2008, that such a request, labeled "Operation Tribute" was an "exception to standard policy."

The documents also detail correspondence from intermediaries for Speaker Pelosi issuing demands for certain aircraft and expressing outrage when requested military planes were not available. "It is my understanding there are no G5s available for the House during the Memorial Day recess. This is totally unacceptable…The speaker will want to know where the planes are…" wrote Kay King, Director of the House Office of Interparliamentary Affairs. In a separate email, when told a certain type of aircraft would not be available, King writes, "This is not good news, and we will have some very disappointed folks, as well as a very upset peaker."

During another email exchange DOD staff advised Kay King that one Pelosi military aircraft request could not be met because of "crew rest requirements" and offered to help secure commercial travel. Kay King responded: "We appreciate the efforts to help the codel [sic] fly commercially but you know the problem that creates with spouses. If we can find another way to assist with military assets, we would like to do that."

Speaker Pelosi came under fire in 2007 for requesting a 42-seat Air Force carrier to ferry the Speaker and her staff back and forth between San Francisco, CA and Washington, DC. Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert was allowed access to a 12-seat commuter jet for security reasons after the events of 9/11.

"Taken together, these documents show that Speaker Pelosi treats the Air Force like her personal airline," said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. "Not only does Speaker Pelosi issue unreasonable requests for military travel, but her office seems unconcerned about wasting taxpayer money with last minute cancellations and other demands."

I don't want taxes raised. I want the tax loop holes closed for good. The rich should not be able to hide their wealth from Uncle Sam in Swiss bank accounts.

Quoting: ElusivePisces 11156436

I think Americans should be allowed to put their money wherever they please. It's easy to close all the loopholes. Fuck income taxes, property taxes, capital gains taxes, etc. All you would have to do is abolish the IRS and the current tax code and replace it with a national sales tax (pick a number...10% sounds good to me). That way, we'd all pay a lot less in taxes, it would encourage people to save more, no more complicated tax forms, and ensures that everyone is paying their "fair share." Of course this would mean we couldn't have the bloated bureaucracy we currently have and would not be able to finance the current warfare/welfare state, which would be a very good thing, in my view.

Expect more of the status quo, though. Taxes were only ever meant to be paid by us peasants. Unfortunately, also, most of the stupid sheep will vote for bigger government and higher taxes, because they love paying for idiots like Pelosi to party all over the globe.

Re: This will piss you off: See How Much Pelosi Spends Jetting Around--

Boehner’s Monthly $2,000 Tab

Speaker Last in House Taking Expense Checks

By Paul Singer

Roll Call Staff

June 7, 2011, Midnight

When John Boehner rose from Minority Leader to Speaker in January, he not only expanded his staff and his paycheck, he more than doubled the expense-account check he cashes each month.

As Minority Leader, the Ohio Republican had received a direct payment of $833 each month from taxpayers to cover “official expenses for leaders,” the same monthly total then-Majority Leader Steny Hoyer received.

But Boehner now receives a monthly $2,083.33 direct payment for expenses, according to the most recent expenditure reports from the Clerk of the House. Because the total of the expense payment is the same each month, it is apparently not reimbursement for individual itemized expenses.

Boehner’s office offered no details about how his monthly check is spent. Spokesman Michael Steel would only say, “This money is used in appropriate ways for expenses related to his official duties.”

Beginning in January, Hoyer, now the Minority Whip, saw his monthly expense check drop to $527, and the Maryland Democrat in March stopped accepting it entirely.

A spokeswoman in Hoyer’s office confirmed he has not taken the expense payment since February because he decided “the appropriate thing to do was to stop receiving it.”

While Congress has set aside $235,000 a year to cover the expenses of House and Senate leaders, Boehner now appears to be the only Member of the House accepting this money in direct payments each month.

Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) generally used the expense account to pay for meals or ceremonial events; the expense payments were not made out to her directly. Since she became Minority Leader in January, there is no record of any leadership expense-account payments from her office.

Re: This will piss you off: See How Much Pelosi Spends Jetting Around--

Boehner’s Monthly $2,000 Tab

Speaker Last in House Taking Expense Checks

By Paul Singer

Roll Call Staff

June 7, 2011, Midnight

When John Boehner rose from Minority Leader to Speaker in January, he not only expanded his staff and his paycheck, he more than doubled the expense-account check he cashes each month.

As Minority Leader, the Ohio Republican had received a direct payment of $833 each month from taxpayers to cover “official expenses for leaders,” the same monthly total then-Majority Leader Steny Hoyer received.

But Boehner now receives a monthly $2,083.33 direct payment for expenses, according to the most recent expenditure reports from the Clerk of the House. Because the total of the expense payment is the same each month, it is apparently not reimbursement for individual itemized expenses.

Boehner’s office offered no details about how his monthly check is spent. Spokesman Michael Steel would only say, “This money is used in appropriate ways for expenses related to his official duties.”

Beginning in January, Hoyer, now the Minority Whip, saw his monthly expense check drop to $527, and the Maryland Democrat in March stopped accepting it entirely.

A spokeswoman in Hoyer’s office confirmed he has not taken the expense payment since February because he decided “the appropriate thing to do was to stop receiving it.”

While Congress has set aside $235,000 a year to cover the expenses of House and Senate leaders, Boehner now appears to be the only Member of the House accepting this money in direct payments each month.

Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) generally used the expense account to pay for meals or ceremonial events; the expense payments were not made out to her directly. Since she became Minority Leader in January, there is no record of any leadership expense-account payments from her office.